Welcome to the September issue of Wholesale Manager. The UK Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Producer Fee will matter most directly to drinks producers and importers. But its confirmation should also matter to their retail and wholesale customers. For retailers and wholesalers, the question is what happens next.
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Booker will host its seventh annual Foodservice Trade Show at the NEC, Birmingham on 23rd September 2026, bringing together customers, suppliers, partners and industry professionals to explore the latest menu trends, preview new product launches, and network in a welcoming and inspiring environment. Booker is set to showcase the full breadth of its foodservice portfolio on the show floor, backed by a nationwide network of 189 branches serving more than 300,000 customers. Throughout the show, guests will have the opportunity to meet Booker colleagues, including category, sales, and branch managers, as well as the team from the company’s premium drinks division, Venus Wine and Spirits Merchants. Vape Supplier Limited (VSL), one of the UK’s fastest-growing wholesalers, has joined NBC as its latest member as the business continues to accelerate its expansion into food and drink. VSL supplies thousands of independent retailers across the UK through its Trade App, supported by a nationwide field sales team and next-day delivery service. While the business has built a strong position within the vaping category, significant investment is now being made into its wider FMCG proposition, with food and drink becoming an increasingly important part of VSL’s growth strategy.
Premiumisation is driving bakery market growth, as demand for café-style experiences at home, speciality bakery items, and innovative products creates opportunities for wholesalers. St Pierre is outperforming the market, its growth fuelled by increased distribution, marketing investment, and product innovation. Louise Reynard, Head of UK Sales at St Pierre Bakery, tells Wholesale Manager what sets the brand apart from others and how wholesalers can maximise category sales.
The grocery sector has always been driven by performance. Sales, margins, availability and service levels dominate commercial conversations. Yet another performance indicator has a profound influence on commercial outcomes: the quality of the relationship between manufacturers, retailers, suppliers and every partner that influences the final product, writes Joanna Hick, Senior Consultant, FMCG, VerityRI.
Weight loss drugs will change the way people eat. Ultimately, the challenge for wholesalers is not to sell more food to people who are eating less. It is to become better at selling the food people still want when appetite is no longer driving the purchase. That is a profound change. But for agile wholesalers, it could also be a profitable one, writes David Gilroy.
Enjoy reading the issue.
George Simpson
Group Editor
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